tomlinson



(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet '1.

T. TOMLINSON. APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY.

Inmmlor W 2 9 0O 1 6 M m d e n L 6 M t a w P 5 3 U 7. 8 4 m fiX (NoModel.) 7 Sheets Sheet 2.

T. TOMLINSON.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY.

No. 487,856. Patented Dec. 63,1892.

l/iirwasw I fnvemlfoz' (No Model.) 7 Sheets.-Sheet 3.

T. TOMLINSON. APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF ELEGTRIGITY.

Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

5 gr IIl'IIII/IIII I V 7 I I n I a .d/ II I I I I I I I l I I I u I III7 (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

T. TOMLINSON. APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTION 01- ELECTRICITY.

No. 487,356. Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

Il 1 I 1 J T m G m.. sn TGJ):

(T10 Model.) 7 S heets--Sheet 5. T. TOMLINSON;

APPARATUS FOR. DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY. No. 487,356. Patented Dec.6, 1892.

THE mums PETERS co., Pnowauwa. WASNINGYON. u. c.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

T. TO MLINSON. APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY.

No. 487,356. Patented D60. 6, 1892.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 7.-

T. TOMLINSON.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY. No; 487,356. Patented Dec. 6,1892.

%%%MY I UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

THOMAS T OMLINSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,356, dated December6, 1892.

Application filed May 25, 1291.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS ToMLINsoN, engineer, a subject of the Queenof Great Britain, residing at Lynton, Durham Road,Raynes Park, London,in the county of Surrey, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in the Distribution of Electricity and in the ApparatusEmployed Therein, of which the following is a specification.

My invention particularly relates to systems in which transformers areused, though it may be employed wherever it may be necessary to insertand take out units of electrical apparatus under similar conditions.Asuffiof current in the primaries.

cient number of transformers have to be provided to deal with themaximum load, and there are long periods in each day when thetransformer capacity is greatly in excess of the requirements of thedistrict or consumer, and during this time, whether lamps are con.-nected to the secondary or not, there is waste I provide apparatus to beattached to groups of transformers at sub-stations or elsewhere for thepurpose of disconnecting some of the transformers in each sub-stationwhen the load on f the secondary diminishes and for replacing them as itincreases.

This apparatus is so arranged as not to require the presence of anattendant at the substation or place where the transformers aresituated. It is essential in such an apparatus that no possible failureshould occur in replacing transformers, as such a failure would causethe burning out of the transformers already connected or the cutting offof the lights by blowing of the safety-fines. My apparatus is thereforeso arranged that the mechanism for inserting the transformers is, so faras inserting the transformers is concerned, entirely independent of thatfor taking them out,'and yet when itcomes to taking out transformersabscilutely controls the latter. the transformers are .put into circuitby the descent of a weight, which isliberated by the action of an'electro magnet. The transformers are taken out of circuit by the actionof an electrically-controlled motor mechanism, which also when in actionlifts the weight I so arrange that $erial1l'o. 894,045. (No model.)

above mentioned. Thus notwithstanding any failure which may occur in themotive power the weight will always be in readiness to put in suchtransformers as are out as soon as the requirement arises. In place of aweight I may employ an equivalent, such as a metal spring; but the useofa weight, being simpler, is preferable. The motor mechanism may be ofany convenient sort; but a train of wheels put in motion by the descentof a sufficiently-heavy weight is usually the most convenient. As aprecaution against heating of the contact parts, I bridge .them overwith an instrument so contrived that as soon as a rise in temperatureoccurs the current is able to pass freely by the bridge, which, however,allows no current to pass so long as the parts remain cool.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe the drawings annexed.

Figure l is an elevation of the apparatus which I employ to puttransformers into and out of circuit. It can also be employed, whenrequired, to connect and disconnect other units of electrical apparatus,as battery cells. Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus. Fig.3 is an endelevation, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section, of the upper part. Fig.4, but is drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 6 is a plan, partly in section,of some of the parts seen in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of thebridge appliance which when heating occurs establishes good electricalconnection between the parts to which it. is applied. Fig.8 is a plan ofthe bridge appliance. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing some of the electricalconnections.

a a is the frame of the machine, and a, is a table-surface forming partthereof. Over the face of the table and passing along it horizontallyfrom end to end there is a barb. It is supported at the ends by bracketsa (1. The circuit-wires of the transformers which it is required to putinto and out of use from time to time are also brought to this table,and are there connected with carefully-insulated plates 0 c.

Fig. 5 is similar to I adapted to control the connections of four setsof transformers, in addition to which there is a transformer or a set oftransformers which always reinains in circuit for work. This lattertransformer or set of transformers has its primary coils alwaysconnected with the primary mains and its secondary coils alwaysconnected with the secondary mains or circuit-wires. The othertransformers or sets of transformers when brought into use are coupledin parallel with the first; but when a transformer is out of use thereis a gap or opening in its primary and another gap or opening in itssecondary. In each case the gap or opening is the interval between apair of plates c. There are four pairs of plates 0 on either side of thetable, or sixteen plates in all. The plates on one side receive theprimary wires and those on the other side the secondary wires, and theseare made fast to the plates in such a way as to insure good permanentconnections.

cl d d cl are four circuit-closing arms mounted upon the barb in suchmanner as to be able to turn upon it. The arm in each case is so madethat its extremities are effectually insulated the one from the other,and each extremity is double or forked and so made as to form a goodelectrical connection between two plates 0 c, which constitute a pair.As shown in the drawings, each arm terminates on one side in twodownwardly directed wedge-like ends d d, which are in one piece or ingood electrical connection the one with the other, but for additionalsecurity are insulated from the rest of the arm. These wedge-pieces dd'when depressed each enter between a pair of metal combs c 0*,formingpart of one of .the plates 0. On the other side the arrangement issimilar and the wedgelike projections d enter between combs upon the twoplates 0 c. In either case, when the wedges are between the combs thereis good metallic connection between the two plates 0 c of the pair andthe transformer or set of transformers in connection with the two opposite pairs of plates is in operation. When, on the other hand, the armd is turned about the bar I), so as to withdraw the wedges from betweenthe combs, the transformer or set of transformers is put out of use,there being then agap or opening both in its primary and in itssecondary circuit. The wedges (Z' serve to make the primary connectionsand the wedges d the secondary or low-tension connections. The contactsare preferably so arranged that the primary and secondary circuits areopened as nearly simultaneously as possible.

6 e are heavy-armed levers, which are mounted on and able to turn aboutthe bar I) to a certain extent independently of the arms (1 cl. Eachlever c is formed with two cheeks or disks, and these are connected byfour bolts 6' e, which are clothed with vulcanized india-rubber tostrike softly on the parts with which they come into contact. On eachlever, also, two small radially-set rollers c e are mounted.

f is a double wedge-piece mounted upon a carriage f, which, by meanshereinafter described, can be made to travel along the table in eitherdirection. The double wedgef as it passes each lever e comes intocontact with one or other of the rollers c upon it. It raises the leverto a vertical position and causes it to pass somewhat beyond, and thenthe lever by'its own weight falls suddenly over. As the lever falls thebolts 6' e strike the arm d, and so the position of the arm is suddenlyreversed. It is raised on one side and depressed on the other until itis brought to rest upon one or other of the stops a on the frame. Whenthe wedge-piece f travels from right to left, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2,it brings the levers which it passes to the position shown in Fig.r-that is to say, it puts transformers into circuit. When, on the otherhand, it travels from left to right, it takes out transformers. Thecarriage f is attached to an endless chain g, which passes around a.chain-wheel h at one end of the table and a pulley t' at the other end.There are also intermediate guide-pulleys. The wheel 72 is free to turnupon an axis 70, which is mounted in bearings on the frame.

Z is a cord attached to the chain on the under side and passing over aguide-pulley to the weight m. When the wheel h is free, the pull of theweight upon the chain moves the carriage J from right to left andtransformers are put in. Except when this is required, the wheel h islocked in the followin manner to its axis 75.

n is a toothed wheel fast with the wheel h and also free to turn uponit. o is another toothed wheel fast upon the axis k.

p p are two pinions fast on a spindle p, carried in bearings at one endof a lever q, having its fulcrum on the frame at q. At the other end ofthe lever there is a weight g. This holds the pinions in gear with thewheels n and o. The wheel 72, when so locked, can only turn when theaxis also revolves; but this axis is usually held fast by a brake-wheelr upon it and a strap made to bear upon the periphery of the wheel by aweight 1".

s is an electro-magnet, which when a current passes in its coilsattracts the armature 8, attached to the lever q. The pinionspp are thendrawn down until the wheel n is out of gear, and the weight on thenoperates to put in transformers until it is stopped by the pinlonspagain rising. The teeth of the wheel 0 are sufficiently long not todisengage.

t is a drum fast on the axis 70. It has a rope t wound around it. Therope passes over an overhead pulley, and a heavy weight, competent notonly to work the switches but also to lift the weight m, is attached toit. When the brake-wheel r is relieved from the pressure of thebrake-strap upon it, the rope t is otherwise,) the wheel It also willturn and the carriage f will be drawn from left to right and tranformerswill be taken out of circuit. At the same time the weight m will beraised.

The release of the brake-Wheel r is efiected by the electro-magnet to.-When a current passes in the coils of this magnet, it attracts itsarmature u, and this being attached to' the lever v the lever is lifted,and so, also, are

the weights r, which are immediately over the end of the lever.

The magnets s and u may be supplied with current to energize them invarious ways. One way is illustrated schematically by Fig. 9. w is anelectro-magnet in the secondary circuit of that transformer whichremains always at Work. It has two armatures carried on levers w w whichat their farther ends are provided with points dipping down intomercury-cups and then electrically connecting the contents of thesecups. WVhen the current through the transformer which re :mainspermanently in circuit and in the coils of the magnet to is neither toolarge nor too small, the magnet w is able to hold up the lever 11/, butis unable to raise'the counter weight w attached .to the lever w ingthrough resistance or choking coils mm, to moderate the current whichpasses when first- Consequently both pairs of points stand out ofthemercury-cups-. Circuit-wires pass from the cups, as shown, to themagnets's and u,(which are the same as the magnets similarly lettered inthe preceding figures,) and these wires are continued to the centralstation. At the central station the wires are connected with anyconvenient lamp-circuit, the connections bethe points dip into eitherpair of cups.

'y y are two bells of different tone included in the circuits. When thepoints of eitherof the levers w or to dip into the mercury, thecorresponding bell rings, showing that thecurrent in the magnet to andin the transformer-ci'rcuit-in which the magnet is included is too largeor too small, as the case may be.

-An indicator may also be provided at y to give the same informationvisibly.

.on'hearing the call closes the corresponding switch, short-circuitingthe coil as, and a more- .powerful current then passes, which energizesz and 2 are switch-levers. The attendant the magnets s or u, as the casemay be. It is advisable that the switch-levers-z and 2 should :beconnected, so that the switch 2 may always vbe closed when z isclosed,'although 22 may be closed independently of z.

This arrangement' forms an additional precaution against too manytransformers being put out of work.

' 'If it be thought expedient to dispense with the control oftheattendant at the central station, it may be so arranged that thedipnets-u and s;

ping of the points on the levers w w shall at once transmit a current toenergizethe mag- "has a wooden'handle.

In this case'it will beunnec essary to lead circuit-wires from themagnets to the central station.

In place. ofmercury-cups other forms of contacts may be employed.

Fig. 9 illustrates, also, the arrangement of the transformers in groupsincreasing in geometric progression.

The apparatus above described affords very complete precaution againsttransformers being taken out or left out of circuit when they should bein use. The motor mechanism cannot take transformers out of circuitunless the magnets to and s conspire-to permit it, and

then it cannot do so without storing up power in the weight minreadiness to put. transformers again into circuit- A current passing inthe coils of the magnet s will always cause transformers whichmay be outof circuit to be'put in, whatever be-the state of the magnet u, andwhether the motor mechanism is in efficient operation or otherwise.

It may occasionally happen that the rocking arms-d d, already referredto, formimperfect contacts with the plates 0. Dust or dirt between thecontact-surfacesmay cause this, and heating and injury to the apparatusmight result. It is necessary to guard against this danger: I do this byproviding on each of the plates ca socket c, and I connect the socketsof each pair of plates by an instrument, of which the construction isshown by Figs. 7 and 8.. This instrument is made for the most part ofvulcanized fiber. and'it On its under sideare two hollow metal plugs A Aadapted to fit into the pair of sockets c 0. Each plug has a-lining A ofparaffine wax within it,.formed by melting par-affine inthe plug,cooling the plug externally until its walls are coated to a sufiicientthickness, and then pouring out the still fluid residue. The plug soprepared is partly filled with'mercury, and it is secured in its placeupon the vulcanized-fiber support by bolts B B, which also serve toelectrically connect it with. one or other of the metal plates 0 C theplug A being connected with the plate 0 and the plug A with the plate 0The plate 0 is also electrically connect- "ed with the pin D and theplate 0 with the pin D 3 The pin D dips into the mercury within the plugA and the'pin D into that in the plug .A. The plugs A A are there- .foreeffectually insulated from each other when cold. When, however, eitherof the plates 0 becomes heated in consequenceof an imperfect contactmade by the arm (1, the heat is communicated to one or both of the plugsA A and the par-affine melts. The mercury'isthen in contact with boththe plug and the pin and. the-current then passes freely from plug toplug." Aneffectual .connection is thus made; but the contact so maderemains until the machine is inspected. This appliance will also befound .useful in other cases whereheatings from imperfectcontactsareliable tooccur. Y

In the apparatus shown by the drawings, the motor mechanism which takesthe transformers out of circuit is wheelwork actuated by a heavy weightattached to the rope t; but it might be an electromotor operating toturn the axis is and supplied with current for this purpose when theelectro-magnet u re-,

into circuit when called for, and no injury to or burning up of thetransformers can then result.

WVhat I'claim is- 1. In an electrical distribution system, thecombination of an electric circuit, transformers adapted to have theirprimaries connected with or disconnected from said circuit, theirsecondary circuits independent of said electric circuit, a motormechanism driven by a power independent of variations of electricalcondition in said secondary circuits, contacts and circuit connectionswhereby when said motor is actuated by its driving-power one or more ofsaid transformers are disconnected from said circuit, means for storingpower from said motor mechanism when thus operated,andsubsequentlyapplying such stored power to re-establish the connection ofthe primary circuit of said transformer or transformers with saidcircuit.

2. In apparatus for throwing transformers or other units of electricalapparatus into and out of circuit, the combination of apowerdriven-motor mechanism controlled by variations of the load on saidcircuit, electro-magnetic means operated upon a decrease in the load onsaid circuit that permit-the actuation of said motor, transformers andtheir contacts and connections, whereby on such actuation of the motorone or more transformers are thrown out of circuit, means for storingpower from the motor while it is thus operating to throw one or moretransformers outof circuit, and electro-magnetic means controlling suchstored power operated by an in crease of load on the circuit, wherebythe stored power is then applied to effect the throwing of one or moretransformers into circuit.

3. In apparatus for throwing transformers or other units of electricalapparatus into and out of circuit, the combination of transformers andtheir contacts and circuit connec tions, whereby they are connected inor disconnected out of circuit, switch mechanism controlling saidcontacts or connections, a power-driven motor that operates said switchmechanism, controlling devices operated by a decrease of the load on thecircuit that then efiect the actuation of said switch devices by themotor to throw one or more transformers out of circuit, means forstoring power from the motor while thus operating, means where by suchstored power may be applied to said switch mechanism to throw one ormore trans formers into circuit, and means controlled by an increase ofload on the circuit for then effecting such application of the storedpower.

4:. In apparatus for throwing transformers or otherunits of electricalapparatus into and out of circuit, the combination of the transformers,their switch devices, a motor-shaft,

connecting mechanism between the shaft and switch devices wherebytransformers may be thrown out of circuit by the actuation of the shaft,electro-magnetic devices'for disconnecting the connecting mechanism fromthe shaft, and means for then operating said mechanism in a reversedirection to throwtransformers into circuit, substantially as set forth.

5. In apparatus for throwing transformers in a reverse direction tothrow transformers into circuit, substantially as set forth.

6. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting transformers or otherelectrical units, the combination of parts consisting of the contact-arms d and contact parts in connection therewith, the weightedrocking levers e, op erating upon the arms to close and open thecontacts, and the wedge-piece f and itscarriage f, which in traversingcauses the levers e to fall over from side to side, substantially asdescribed.

7. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting transformers or otherelectrical units, the combination of parts consisting of the axis 70,motor mechanism for rotating the axis 70, electrical mechanism forstarting and stopping the rotation of the axis 70, the chainwheel h,electrical mechanism putting the chain-wheel into and out of gear withthe axis 7a, the endless chain g, and the wedgef, moved by the chain gand operating the switches, substantially as described.

8. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting transformers and otherelectrical units, the combination, with the transformer contact-plateshaving sockets thereon, of a conducting bridge-piece having hollow metalplugs that fit in said sockets, the plugs being lined with parafiine orlike material containing mercury and having each a condnctingpin dippinginto the mercury, as set forth.

9. In apparatus for connecting and disc-nusubstantially nectiugtransformers, the combination of a it falls upon the contact-lever theprimary 1o transformer, its terminal contacts, a rocking and secondarycircuits of the transformer are lever carrying contact parts for boththe prisimultaneously opened or closed.

mary and secondary circuits of the trans- THOMAS TOMLINSON. former, asecond gravity-lever normally dis- Witnesses:

connected from the contact-lever and adapted JOHN H. WHITEHEAD,

when moved past its center to fall against and 24 Southampton Buildings,London. operate it, and means for moving the gravity- JOSEPH LAKE,

lever to either side of its pivot,wl1ereby when 17 Gracechurch Street,London, E. O.

